Keeping your skin clean is a fundamental part of grooming. And so cleansers will form among the most important part of any male grooming setup. A cleanser, put simply, is anything which helps to remove excess oil, dirt, dead skin and other pollutants from the surface of your face.
A good cleanser will be able to strip these harmful substances away while leaving the good, healthy stuff intact. This is often a little tricky, as stripping oil from the skin might cause the skin to produce excessive amounts, which will clog pores and produce acne. At the same time, if the cleanser is too acidic, it might cause certain sorts of bacteria to grow excessively on the surface of the skin.
High-quality cleansers of the sort you’ll find here are equipped with moisturising and skincare components that’ll ensure you can wash without fear of harming your skin. Take a look through and pick out a men's cleansing lotion or men's cleansing bar of soap that suits you!
]]>One of the occupational hazards of a frequent shaver is that there’s a risk of occasionally cutting through the skin, or dragging the blade in such a way that irritation and redness occur (razor burn). The best way of avoiding this, naturally, is to invest in a razor which uses a sharp, sturdy blade that’ll slide through those hairs with a minimum of friction. You’ll find such double edge safety razor's in our shop.
Of course, however carefully you guard against mishaps, a few of them on occasion are inevitable. Here you’ll find razor burn products including aftershave balm and moisturising lotion that’ll help you contend with those few cuts and scratches that do slip through the net.
With the help of a good pair of finger nail and toe nail clippers, keeping your nails neatly trimmed is almost effortless – simply place the business end around the ends of your nails and press down – with a reassuring snap, the ends of your nails will come away. A lack of proper nail-clipping is sure to let down your look, even if the rest of you is perfectly-presented. Investing in one of the clipper devices listed here, therefore, is essential!
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Let it never be said that we’re not ready and willing to chase a new line of products or work with some up and coming folk if it means giving you incredible products! We’re always happy to partner up with those who’ve got the real spit and polish that makes a good company.
We’ve recently partnered up with Bellroy, a fantastic company who have a lot of cool products to offer. We thought that we would talk a little bit about our new supplier, and showcase some of the incredible products we’ll be putting out into your world.
So, who exactly are Bellroy? What do they do that makes them a unique and exciting company? Well, they began about ten years ago now, as a team of engineers and product designers. It occurred to them that they could take the conventional wallet, a very typical everyday item, and redesign it to be more suited to a modern perspective.
The resulting effort was a resounding success, and it put the Bellroy on the map. Now, they operate globally, with more than 100 people working together. Their mission is to help the world carry things better, to flourish in a modern time ultimately, and to use their business as a force to bring about positive change.
We are proud to be working with Bellroy because they have a great attitude towards innovation and product creation. They understand that this type of business is one which really requires a cut above the standard. They acknowledge as much as we do that when it comes to creating products, you have to build something that appeals to the modern person, that is adaptable and suitable for the current climate.
We choose to focus on Bellroy bags and wallets. This is an area in which the Australian manufacturer definitely excels, because they have been designing and manufacturing leather wallets since their inception, and bags followed shortly afterwards. So, not only does the wallet category offer a beautiful selection of bespoke cardholders, card pockets and zip wallets but we’ve also got campus backpacks, slings and laptop sleeves available in the bags department.
Personally, we are in love with the bespoke, environmentally certified leather designs, the exquisite construction, and stylised shapes. These are modern designs. That means that all the lines are sleek and neat; everything has been made to be quite streamlined. It’s precisely the kind of contemporary touch that good backpacks and cardholders need. Elegant, streamlined, almost minimalist in their construction, all of these potential hallmarks are incredible.
So, whether it is the card holder, the slim wallets, the laptop cases, or the campus backpacks, there is a broad selection of options to experiment with here. Everything has been made to the same fantastic level of quality, and as we’re now an authorised retailer of Bellroy products a three year warranty is included as standard with all products purchased online or in-store from Gents Supply Co. Pretty great, right?
We love the way that Bellroy take time and effort on all of their projects, and the creations that they come up with have been genuinely awe inspiring.
We’ve had a look at everything they’ve sent to us, and what we’ve noticed is that there is a real feel-good factor in using their products every day. You feel great. It’s genuinely a really nice way to sit and carry your possessions around. You feel professional, you feel stylish, and you feel cool.
To be honest, that’s a big part of why you invest in leather accessories like this. You feel cool. You feel like you’re getting the best possible options. It’s a great way to do things, and a really thrilling way to enjoy yourself. There are so many different options and choices that you get to pick from, and this makes it so impressive.
Let’s be honest; the modern era deserves a modern look. We update our fashion, by wearing sleek and stylish clothing, so why not do the same for our bags and wallets? It’s not like we are reinventing the wheel, which is making it look even better than it did before.
]]>Once upon a time, proper grooming was something that few men took all that seriously. For one thing, it was incredibly time-consuming, and a sign of the worst sort of vanity. Attitudes and practices have changed, however. Nowadays, men's grooming is something that’s widely agreed to be worth thinking about. Let’s run through ten fantastic tips that’ll ensure you can face every day looking spectacular.
To keep your teeth in the best possible condition, you’ll need to be using an electric toothbrush. That much is a given. But you’ll also need to replace those toothbrush heads at regular intervals – if you don’t, they’re not going to retain their plaque-busting capability for long. You need to be swapping them every six weeks at a bare minimum. So, buy a pack of twelve and set a reminder on your phone to replace them at the start of every month, and to buy a new pack after a year. Problem solved!
Whether you’re using cheap disposable razors or double-edged safety razor blades, it’s essential that you keep yours as sharp as possible. There’s nothing more likely to cause irritation and bleeding than a nasty, blunt razor. That means a steady supply of replacement blades, kept somewhere cool and dry. Be sure that you handle them with care, and get into the habit of replacing frequently.
Grooming isn’t just a matter of looking fantastic. You’ll also want to smell your best, and that means picking out a fragrance that you like. You don’t want to be chopping and changing constantly, so settle on something that you don’t mind being associated with. If you buy in bulk, you’ll save money in the long-term. Generally speaking, you want to go with something heavier and muskier during the winter months, and a little lighter and more citrusy-sharp during summer. With that said, a man’s choice of fragrance is about as personal a decision as it gets, so don’t allow yourself to be constrained by what other people think is best: try a few, make a decision and own it!
This is a lesson that too few men seem to have learned, so we’ll address it explicitly: you need to keep your pubic area appropriately man-scaped. That doesn’t mean going totally bald, but it does mean keeping everything neat-and-tidy. Don’t use the same razor you’re using to shave your face, and don’t trim your nether-regions with a pair of scissors unless you’re going to be concentrating fully on the task. If you’re getting regular sexual action, then this is important, but even if you’re not, it’s a habit worth getting into: very few people, male or female, are going to be thrilled at the sight of an untamed wilderness sprouting from between their partner’s legs.
Your skin cells are constantly dying, and they need to be rubbed off in order for the new ones to come up to fill the gap. Given that our lifestyles aren’t as active as they might have been thousands of years ago, this means exfoliating using an exfoliating face scrub. It’ll keep your pores clear and your complexion smooth, and it feels good, too!
The eyes, it is often remarked, form the windows to the soul. Which means that you’d better make sure that your windows aren’t encrusted with grime and falling apart from the sill. The skin of your eyelid is thinner and more delicate than that of the rest of your face and body, and thus it’s more vulnerable to puffiness and discolouration. To provide your eyes with the best possible care, you’ll need a specialist moisturising cream or try the Baxter of California under-eye complex. This will help to disguise the fact that you were out all weekend doing shots of Jack Daniels when you stroll into the office on Monday morning. Looking haggard is never a good thing.
Everyone’s different, and the market for grooming products is accordingly gigantic and varied. What worked for your father and his father before him might not work so well for you. What’s more, there are new products being developed and released all the time – and if you want to take advantage, you’re going to have to do a little bit of experimenting with the available options.
While it might seem to be an extravagance, booking regular appointments at your local barber shop will help to ensure that your hair – facial and otherwise – doesn’t run out of control. If you leave your haircut until you one day look in the mirror and realise that it’s overdue, then you can be sure that your friends and colleagues have come to the same realisation.
If you’re wet-shaving, then you should be taking preparation seriously. That means investing in a quality shaving soap or cream. The nasty stuff you get in an aerosol can simply won’t do; it contains all manner of drying agents, built to ensure that it lasts for as long as possible in the can. These agents will reliably wreak havoc on your skin. So go for a premium option: you needn’t use enormous amounts of it. With its help, the razor will glide effortlessly across the surface of your skin, scything through everything in its path.
While it’s not something that men pay much attention to, there are few things more off-putting to the fairer sex than a set of scraggly, jagged fingernails. To combat this, you’ll want to get into the habit of regularly trimming your nails – ideally just after you’ve hopped out of the shower: the warmth and moisture will make the keratin (the stuff that makes up your nails) that much more pliant and sliceable. Note that you don’t want long fingernails – aside from anything else, they’ll get in the way of day-to day tasks and end up irritating you. That is, unless you’re a classical guitarist and you need long fingernails for precision fingerpicking.
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If you’re like most of us, then you probably don’t look anywhere near your best when you first get up in the morning. And it’s for this reason that a good morning grooming routine is so important. You want to ensure that you step out of the front door looking immaculate – but you don’t want to have to spend hours in front of the mirror each morning to do so.
Happily, the right grooming routine needn’t be all that demanding. You can think of the job in terms of five distinct components, which can be rattled through in order to produce reliable results. Let’s take a look at each of them in turn.
To begin with, you’re going to want to actually wash your face. It’s this stage that’ll remove all of the grime and harmful microbes from the previous day’s exploits, and from your pillow. At a bare minimum, you should be using soap of the sort that you’ve washed the rest of your body with. But ideally, you need a soap that’s more attuned to the sensitive skin on your face. After all, you want to remove dirt and grime, but you don’t want to be damaging the surrounding skin cells as you do so.
Look for a cleanser that promotes the natural oil-production mechanisms of your skin. There are myriad cleansers on the market, and the one that’s right for you will vary depending on what sort of skin you have. If you’ve got naturally oily skin, then go for something dryer; if you’ve got naturally dry sin, you can get away with something that’s more oil-rich.
Naturally, you should try out several different alternatives in order to get an idea of which one best matches your skin. Once you’ve gotten the right results, you can then stick with the cleanser that helped achieve them.
Your skin is being constantly replenished with new cells from beneath, which replace the old ones on the top. When skin cells die, they remain on the top layer until you brush against something and they come off. But this doesn’t always happen right away – and thus those dead skin cells can hang around for awhile, blocking up pores and causing other skin complications. Happily, there’s a simple way to get around this: scrub those excess skin cells away. This can be done with a soft-bristled brush, but an exfoliating face scrub will do the job at a more close-up level.
There are a raft of exfoliating products out there, incorporating abrasive grains that will scrub away dead cells without causing undue damage to the surrounding, healthy tissue. Note that not all exfoliants are created equally: some come with environmentally-catastrophic grains of plastic called micro-beads. These take thousands of years to biodegrade, and can end up inside the lungs of the ocean’s wildlife within a few days of you flushing them down the plughole. So look for a biodegradable alternative. Charcoal based exfoliants, for example, come with tiny black specks that’ll chip away at the top layer of your skin and then dissolve once they’ve been flushed.
At certain times of year, the air around your face is naturally going to be dryer than at others. And the simple act of washing can interfere with the skin’s natural balance of oils, leaving visible puffiness and causing irritation. This effect might be particularly obvious in the aftermath of a shaving session, particularly if the razor is less than sharp and the shaving soap is less than ideal. In order to counteract this effect, we need to apply a regular moisturiser.
A good moisturiser is one that’s as natural as possible, and that will encourage the body to produce natural oils of its own. A bad one, by contrast, will simply cover the skin in an impermeable layer of goop, preventing it from breathing and making the problem even worse.
As a general rule, the former category tend to be the natural sort. Again, you’ll want to try a few alternatives before you settle on the one that’s right for you. Remember when applying moisturiser that less is often more – and that it’s better to go for a little of something effective than a lot of something cheap and nasty.
The first thing we should say here is that we’re not talking about the eyes themselves, but the protective shield they come with. Of all the areas of skin on the human body, it’s the eyelid that’s the thinnest and most fragile. That’s why they get so puffy and wrinkly as the years go by. If you’d like to combat this effect, then you’ll need to incorporate an eye-care component into your morning grooming ritual.
This is an area of skincare that many men overlook – but it doesn’t take much care and attention to give your eyes a much better chance of staying healthy-looking for longer. Invest in a specialist eye cream and dab a drop or two onto your eyelids each morning. You’re sure to notice the difference after a few weeks!
Before you can declare the job finished, you need to ensure that you smell good. Choosing the right fragrance, aftershave or cologne is a matter of personal taste, but generally you want something airy during the summer months and muskier when things get colder. Again, less is almost always more. You don’t want to overpower everyone you meet with cologne. Better to apply just a spray or two from an expensive bottle.
If you’ve gotten each of the five stages we’ve discussed here right, then there stands a good chance that you’ve gotten your grooming routine right. And if this sounds like a lot of effort to go to, then bear in mind that each of these steps need only take a few seconds – and if you’re performing them on a regular basis, you should be able to get the entire procedure down to a fine three-minute performance. Now all that’s left is for you to get your shaving routine that’s just as polished! For more guidance visit our 10 indispensable grooming tips for men.
]]>For several years now, it’s been fashionable to sport not only a little bit of stylish designer stubble, but an enormous lumberjack-style beard. If you’re a man who’s considering growing a beard (or shaving one off), then you’re likely to be influenced by the opinions of the fairer sex. After all, most of us wouldn’t both washing if we didn’t, at some level, think that a woman somewhere might approve of the decision.
The literature on this subject is covered quite extensively in Psychology Today by ‘attraction doctor’, Jeremy Nicholson. One study in 2008 had female subjects examining a number of male faces and sorting them in terms of attractiveness. This resulted in most women judging the men with a little bit of stubble as most attractive, but fully-bearded faces as most masculine, aggressive and mature.
If you feel that your face lacks these qualities, it might therefore be time to start growing a beard. The findings of this study were largely echoed by a later one in 2013: women like a little bit of stubble, as it confirms that the man they’re looking at is, in fact, out of high school.
Now, you might assume that we’re talking about women and men encountering one another for the first time in bars, clubs and train carriages. But what if you’re already in a long-term relationship, and you want to signal to your partner that you’re ready to settle down and take things a little more seriously? In this instance, the maturity-signalling qualities of a big, lush beard might be exactly what’s required.
Of course, there’s no shortage of opinion on whether men look good with or without beards – and you’re going to get a slightly different response depending on which woman you ask. Polling data on the subject isn’t entirely reliable, for several reasons.
Firstly, people lie to pollsters. If a political candidate seems a little bit uncouth, then the average person will be less likely to confess to supporting them – even if they go on to do so in the anonymous comfort of the polling booth. A woman’s preference in a man is pretty personal, and so they might simply lie about what they do and don’t find attractive.
Secondly, whether a woman finds a beard attractive will vary according to the man who’s wearing it. When Jason Momoa sports a massive beard, he’s probably going to attract a lot more interest than the average man, because he’s Jason Momoa. If a woman claims that they don’t like beards, it might be that they tend to see them worn by unattractive men.
Thirdly, and we can’t stress this enough: women tend to like men who look comfortable in their own skin. If you’ve grown a beard with the sole purpose of attracting women, and you don’t really like it yourself, then women are going to be able to scent this from a mile off, as a musk of desperation.
Fourthly, fashions change over time, and some of the studies mentioned go back as far as a decade. Back then, beards didn’t enjoy the mainstream support that they do now, and so it’s far less likely that women (or men) are going to profess an appreciation for them.
As we’ve hinted, the chance of a woman liking your beard will depend on the sort of beard you’re wearing. Exactly what message are you sending out with your facial furniture?
Let’s start with the high-risk types of beard. Beard-growers are in less danger here than moustache-growers, who risk looking dictatorial if they’re not careful. If you’re growing a goatee, then you stand a stand a stronger chance of looking like a more fantastical sort of villain. Think Ming the Merciless from Flash Gordon, or the lead guitarists of innumerable black metal bands, or Lucifer himself.
At the other end of the spectrum we have Amish-style beards without moustaches. Now, the Amish grow these for obscure cultural reasons – but everyone else just thinks of them as Amish beards. Unless you’re going for a very specific aesthetic, it’s probably best to avoid these. Of course, you might be tempted to simply allow your beard to grow wild and free. This approach has the advantage of being low-maintenance; you don’t need to spend hours in front of the mirror, taming your facial hair. Results here may vary, however. You may discover that your beard sticks out at bizarre angles, and is rather a different colour than you anticipated. Still, by growing your beard in this way, you’ll have a chance to discover what sorts of beard best fit your personal style.
Finally, we have the Wizard. You know what we’re talking about, here: the Gandalfs, the Merlins, the Dumbledores. Growing a beard for longer than twelve-months (at which point it qualifies as a ‘yeard’) is a considerable challenge, and should be attempted only by gentlemen who know exactly what they’re doing. If you get to a certain age, then you might well be able to pull this off – but if you’re looking to attract a woman, this particular spell isn’t going to be all that effective.
As magnificent as a good beard can be, it’s clear that facial hair doesn’t suit every face. And whether women find your beard attractive shouldn’t be your only consideration in growing one. If you have an office job that requires you to meet new people and represent a company to would-be clients and collaborators, then having an enormous bushy beard might not be appropriate. If your heart really is set on growing a beard, then you might need to change careers in order to do so – and for many of us, the hassle isn’t really worth it.
Finally, it’s important to note that women aren’t just attracted to the beard, but to the man behind it: and that even the best beard isn’t a substitute for a personality!
]]>2021 looks set to be a year in which men’s grooming takes a few more significant steps forward. We’ve identified several trends that look set to land at some point this year – but which are flashes in the proverbial pan, and which are here to stay? Let’s consider a few of the candidates.
If you’re a particularly hirsute gentleman, then you might find that your body tends to lack shape when you’re not wearing much. If you have tufts sprouting, seemingly at random, from your shoulders, chest, abdomen and legs, then you risk looking a little bit unkempt – particularly if you’re sitting beside the pool.
The practice of tapering one’s body hair looks set to solve this problem. Electric shavers AKA personal groomers have long come equipped with attachments designed especially for this purpose. So, you might opt for a lower grade on your belly than on your pectorals, and shorter hairs on your feet than around your thighs.
This is something that requires particular dedication, and thus it strikes us as only worthwhile during summer – but if you’ve got the time to give yourself an all-over shave, or you’re preparing for some outdoor event that requires taking your clothes off, then we don’t see why not. Just don’t overdo it.
Depending on which polls you believe, men are having more cosmetic surgery than ever before – and it’s millennial men that are leading the way. This is a welcome development for a burgeoning cosmetics industry, but it’s probably not so great for the mental health of young men who feel that they have to pay thousands of dollars to have their body permanently altered. Men are sure to be sharply divided on the issue – but we’re all individuals who can make our own decisions, and so it seems slightly churlish to pour scorn either way. In many respects, cosmetic surgery is a bit like a tattoo – and there’s no longer any real social stigma applied to getting inked, even among those of us who aren’t sailors or convicts.
You can probably expect to see an anti-surgery backlash in a few year’s time, when men of the world begin to gravitate toward the natural look. For the time being, however, you can expect to see more men walking around with dermal fillers and botox – and in some instances, you might not even realise that that’s what’s happened.
Obviously, surgery is a radical procedure. It’s also one whose results vary tremendously depending on who’s wielding the knife: the best procedures produce remarkable results, the worst will leave you permanently mutilated. The former will cost more money, but they’re surely preferable.
Given the amount of hours we’re spending buried in our phones all day, it’s probably unsurprising that there’s a growing demand for skin-protection. The most harmful sorts of light produced by your screen, when it comes to skin ageing, is the blue sort with a wavelength of between 400 and 500 nanometres. Light sources like this are also to be found in modern hyper efficient LED bulbs, of the sort that are now omnipresent in the modern home.
Prolonged exposure to light of this sort, it’s claimed, is the equivalent to spending a short time in the sun. We should therefore take steps to protect our skin in much the same way: with a moisturiser that’ll block certain wavelengths. It’s just that, rather than dealing just with UV light, this stuff focuses on the blue stuff, too. In a few decades, our skin is sure to thank us. Of course, you might equally protect yourself by buying warmer hued light bulbs, and by fiddling with the colour balance settings on your computer monitor at work – but then you’ll lose some of the advantages that modern tech presents.
Okay, we know that this one might sound a bit strange, but there’s sound reasoning behind it. The hair naturally produces protective oils, which hot water and shampoo will strip away. By not washing your hair quite so much, you’ll protect your scalp and ensure that your hair remains lush and vibrant for longer.
If you don’t want your hair to be greasy, then you can use a dry shampoo to strip away the excess. After all, there’s no other species of animal on earth that relies on daily washing with shampoo, so why should human beings? Or, so goes the theory. Note that while you can refrain from washing your hair every day, you can still wash the rest of your body using a high quality body wash – fail to do so, and you’ll assuredly begin to repel everyone you meet.
Provided that you filter out the psychoactive ingredient, THC, cannabis oil is remarkably good for your skin. It soothes redness and irritation, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Manufacturers face a little bit of a legal and cultural minefield when developing products that take advantage of this, however – not all of us feel comfortable rubbing the stuff into our faces. Attitudes are changing, though, and this might well be the year that CBD-oil products make the jump into the mainstream of men’s grooming. Just don’t try to smoke any of them.
In pursuit of a superior physique, men have been quaffing dietary supplements for decades, now. And the logic is simple – if you’re lifting weights all day, but can’t get enough protein for optimal muscle growth, then you need to take a supplement. The same applies to the bones and nervous system – great nutrition often means supplementing a healthy diet with a few extra pills and powders.
Of course, your hair and your skin are just as dependant on the foods and drinks we eat as skeletal muscle, and so you can expect dietary supplements that focus on maintaining those organs to achieve greater prominence in 2019. Naturally, these products are meant to be supplementary – you’ll still need to eat your share of cabbage and broccoli if you want to safeguard your appearance (and all-around good health).
]]>If you’re going to tie your outfit together, then you’ll need a few choice accessories. These are the flourishes that help cement your visual identity, and which ensure that, whatever you’re wearing, you still look and feel like yourself. And there are few more practical men’s accessories than a decent wristwatch. However convenient it might be to whip out your phone whenever you’d like to check the time, there’s nothing quite like glancing down at the face of a high-quality wristwatch. Given that you’re going to be wearing your watch every day, it’s worth investing accordingly. There’s nothing more likely to let down a high-quality get-up than a cheap, tacky watch. Here at Gents, we stock men's watches from several big names, and we thought it might be worthwhile to take a closer look at exactly what makes them such a big deal.
Hugo Boss is one of the oldest fashion companies on the planet. It’s notorious for being the designer that supplied the Nazi party. The founder, Hugo Ferdinand Boss, would die shortly after the end of the Second World War, and thus wouldn’t see his company’s recovery from the ban placed on the company following the end of the conflict. Nowadays, the company recognises this chapter in their story, though they’re obviously eager to point out how much things have changed since then: you’ll find an abridged version of Roman Köster’s history of the period over on the Hugo Boss website.
The company’s relationship with wristwatches didn’t come until quite a bit later; they were granted their first watch licence in 1996. Hugo Boss watches, like Tommy Hilfiger and Lacoste ones, are produced by Movado Group. As such, you can expect quality on a rough par with the other brands we’ve mentioned here. Be sure to check out the select few watches we have in stock, including the crocodile-effect Hugo Boss Ambassador and the dial-heavy Hugo Boss Driver men's watch.
The Armani family is one of the biggest names in world fashion. Their second brand, Emporio Armani, is reserved for innovative modern designs, and is thereby distinct from the more classic stuff you might associate with the name. The company’s founder, Georgio Armani, cut his teeth in Milan department stores before going on to design clothing on a freelance basis throughout the sixties. He used the experience gained from this to great effect when he established the company in 1975, along with his friend Sergio Galeotti.
The story will probably lend some encouragement to those of us who’ve gotten to our thirties without ever establishing all-conquering businesses. Armani himself was in his forties when he got his venture started; Galeotti persuaded the man to sell his car and start a tiny two-person operation that would, in just a few years, conquer the world. The Emporio brand came to be in the early 1980s, following the success of the ‘Georgio’ brand in the 70s. It’s the name emblazoned across the high-quality Armani watches you’ll find right here on the Gents store.
You’ll find a number of fantastic Emporio Armani watches on the pages of our website. These include the leather strapped Emporio Armani Beta and the Emporio Armani Luigi stainless-steel wristwatch. Both exude quality, and they’re versatile enough to match with a range of outfits.
Tommy Hilfiger was born in New York in the 50s to Catholic Parents. He had eight brothers and sisters, and his father was a watchmaker. After a stint working in a clothes shop in the late 60s, he decided to open his own store, called ‘People’s Place’. He pumped his savings into the venture, and it paid off. The stuff he brought in himself, however, wasn’t quite up to scratch, and thus he decided that he’d like to design some of his own. It was at this point that he realised where his talent really lay: designing.
Unfortunately, the People’s Place was forced into bankruptcy in the late 70s, following local recession in New York. He worked freelance as a designer for a while, but his lack of industry experience in fashion prevented him from finding secure work. Eventually, he met an Indian businessman named Mohan Murajani, and the two established a business together. When the resulting company floated on the New York Stock Exchange in the early 90s, the growth was exponential – but difficult to sustain. Shareholders clamoured for non-stop growth at the same rate, and, in 2006, the company went private again.
You’ll find some of Tommy Hilfiger’s current output right here on our site, including this cream-faced Tommy Hilfiger Gabe men's watch with a brown leather strap. It’s stylish, bold and elegant – in much the same way as the rest of the Tommy Hilfiger catalogue.
This French company was founded in 1933 by a tennis player names Rene Lacoste, who earned the nickname ‘the crocodile’ thanks to his on-court personality. It’s this animal that graces the front of all Lacoste products.
This brand has a slightly sportier reputation than some of the other big names we’ll mention here. In recent decades, its reputation has been bolstered through partnerships with big-name tennis players and golfers, including Novak Djokovic. Thus, if you spend a lot of time enjoying this sort of outdoor sport, you’ll probably be familiar with the crocodile logo.
Lacoste, is, naturally, most famous for its line of high-quality polo shirts. But the innovation didn’t stop there – a string of patents followed as the company incrementally improved its line of tennis rackets, and by the 1960s the company had even branched out into skiwear, sponsoring the 1968 French Winter Olympic team.
Among the more recent devices to bear the famous crocodile are, of course, high-quality designer wrist watches. You’ll find gorgeous specimens right here on our website, including this stylish dark-blue Lacoste Westport men's watch, complete with rose-gold plated stainless steel. It’s rugged enough to stand up to the water from your shower, but not quite enough to get through high-impact water sports.
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It’s time to take things to a new level and give your dad the sort of father's day gift that he deserves. After all, he’s been there from day one, handing out valuable life lessons and ill-conceived jokes. Father’s Day presents an opportunity to show your appreciation, and you’d better take it! With that mission in mind, let’s take a look at some of the gifts you might bestow upon the old man this year. They’re certain to be appreciated – and they might even raise an eyebrow.
A Gents gift card is the perfect gift for special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas and Fathers Day. A gift card can be redeemed against any of Gents Supply Co products sold online or in-store at our retail premises. However old you get, you’ll always need to keep your facial hair in good order, and your skin in good condition. Gifts for dads is often a conundrum for sons and daughters, however if you’re going to be getting your dad some male grooming equipment, then you’ll need to put at least a little bit of thought into the sort of grooming equipment he’ll need. Does he wear an enormous, bushy beard? Then a suitable beard brush or a bottle of masculine scented beard oil might be an ideal range of gift. Does he go entirely clean-shaved? Then perhaps a shaving brush or a shaving soap might be in order.
It’s worth taking a look at your dad’s shaving cabinet. If he shaves using a can of pressurised fluid, then introducing him to the wonderful world of high-quality shaving sets, equipment and tools might be worthwhile. If your dad is sporting a suitably fluffy expanse of facial hair, then keeping it in shape using a high-quality pair of beard and moustache scissors is surely a requirement. Not all bathroom scissors are created equally, and thus a pair that’s worthy of the task is sure to make a great gift on father’s day.
For the ultimate in luxury, it doesn’t get much better than a real bar of shaving soap. Unlike the modern spray-can of gel, these items aren’t stuffed with artificial drying agents and moisturisers to aid storage. Instead, they’re just crammed with fats that’ll keep the skin in good condition. Some come in miniature gift boxes that are perfect if you’re looking for something special to mark the occasion. If you’re looking for something different, then you might opt for a cream or a gel. Such substances don’t have to be synonymous with inferior quality and economy. Whichever shaving substance you opt for, you’ll want to be sure that it’s properly applied. That’s the task of the shaving brush.
It’s worth remembering that shaving brushes provide a much better lather than the more modern fingers-on-face application technique. Your dad will not only be able to avoid rubbing his fingers across his face and thereby causing himself irritation; he’ll be able to work the lather into the very root of each hair follicle, allowing for a far closer shave. To make things especially impressive, shaving brushes are available with special cradles, comprising both a space to hang the razor and the brush so that the surface of neither device comes into contact with the counter beneath. Such shaving sets come also with miniature bowls which can be used to work up a fantastic lather prior to application.
If you’re in the slightest doubt, then perhaps opting for an all-in-one grooming kit gift might be the way forward. A package like this will include everything that’s required to groom in style – from hair clipper, detail trimmer to nose & ear trimmer.
Everyone likes to smell good, from teenagers to pensioners. But for men, this might be difficult – after all, there aren’t too many scents that immediately scream manliness, and older men in particular might be less inclined to shop specifically for something that’s going to make them smell of musky spices and turpentine.
Consequently, designers like Captain Fawcett and Proraso provide colognes and aftershaves or 'Fragrance' for men. What makes fragrances especially suitable as gifts is that they don’t really ever go bad – and you can never really have too many of them. Thus, even if your dad’s already amassed a sizeable collection, a few more isn’t going to hurt. In fact, his existing selection of pleasant-smelling-liquids might provide a basis for your purchase; if you look inside his cabinet and discover a huge stack of particular brand fragrances then it may make sense to buy him a matching bottle of eau-de-toilette or aftershave.
Shopping for jewellery for a man is difficult as accessories of this sort tend to be personal. Men’s jewellery tends to shun pretty stones in favour of imagery wrought from the metal itself. Said imagery, therefore, will need to match the tastes and personality of the person sporting the item in question. If you’re going to shop for jewellery for your dad, you should form an idea of what it is they really like – and see if you can imagine them wearing it. You should also consult your father’s better half – who’ll probably have a good idea of what they’d like to see him wear! Alternatively visit our Clocks and Colours jewellery page for some serious inspiration.
We should also consider the importance of one or two items of furniture found in the bathroom. Of course, to get the best out of a shave, your dad will need some men's bathroom essentials including a suitable shaving set and a shaving mirror – one that’s capable of zooming right in to provide a close-up view of each follicle. After all, when you reach a certain age, precision really does matter – but being able to easily achieve it matters even more.
On the other hand, if you find that your father doesn’t really know how to shave and is forever scraping and cutting himself on his razor, then a burn-repair product might be just what’s required. They’ll eliminate the damage caused by improper shaving.
]]>When you’re being interviewed for a major position that you’ve spent years working toward, it’s likely that you’ll be asked ‘why do you want this job?’. Of course, it’s rarely advisable to reply ‘I want to be considered sexier’. But the truth is, such a response would contain just a smidgen of truth – most of us want to be attractive, even if we don’t build our lives around such considerations. And some jobs are manifestly more glamorous than others – and attractive to prospective sexual partners. This isn’t something we need to speculate about; thanks to dating apps like Tinder, we have everyone’s preferences there in cruel, hard swipes for everyone to see. Let’s take a look at some of the jobs which increase men’s sex appeal, are considered sexy, and why they might be so.
To be a lawyer, you need to be highly intelligent, hardworking and assertive – all attractive qualities, to be sure. Striding from courtroom to courtroom and ensnaring wrongdoers in a web of logic and rhetoric, they’re about as close as it gets to a real-life batman. But let’s deal with the elephant in the room, here. Lawyers get paid a lot of money, and everyone likes money, all other things being equal. For much the same reason, you’ll find architects, oil tycoons and dot-com billionaires are similarly in- demand.
Pilots are another of the most attractive jobs for men, according to Tinder. They’re obviously highly skilled and highly intelligent, but they’re also entrusted with the lives of millions of people every year. Of course, pilots are also required to work unsociable hours – and so as undoubtedly sexy as they might be, they’re also not stellar candidates for long-term relationships. Of course, for those just looking for a short-term dalliance with someone who’ll only be in the country for a single night at a time, this is unlikely to matter too much.
If you possess the ability to heal the sick, then you’re probably irresistible. Doctors tick a lot of boxes for women: they’re piercingly intelligent, they’re industrious enough to survive years of education and the line of work itself is pretty demanding, too. But it’s the fact that doctors spend so much of their time caring for others that probably cements their position as an object of desire. Just think of George Clooney in ER or Hugh Laurie in House MD – would women have found them quite so attractive if their respective characters earned a living in sanitation? The answer is probably not.
While teachers might not bring in quite so much cash as doctors, they fulfil the nurturing criteria just as capably. They’re responsible, after all, for equipping the next generation with the skills and knowledge they need to flourish. And they’ll have the skills required to deal with children, which – consciously or otherwise – both men and women find attractive. Can you imagine a woman uttering the words: ‘he’s absolutely dreadful with kids, and I find that a real turn-on’? The answer, again, is probably not.
The ability and desire to get out there and make things happen without waiting for other people to give you permission is surely one of the most attractive qualities a man can possess. If you’re a business owner who’s grown something from nothing, then you’re sure to be more attractive than someone who spends their time grinding through a dreary desk-bound existence day after day. If you’ve got a bank account the size of Elon Musk’s and you wear suits everywhere, you’ll reinforce this message even more strongly. But even if you’re not quite so well-financed, you’ll likely find that being self-employed is worth something.
Personal trainers are high up the list of attractive professions because they’re, by necessity, physically fit. They’re also knowledgeable, assertive personable, as they need to be able to motivate complete strangers, and identify physiological problems and correct them. Other physically-active professionals, like soldiers and tree-surgeons, are likely to be able to secure the attention of a certain sort of mate – but they lack the all-around appeal of a personal trainer.
This one’s a little tricky to recommend, because while models might feature highly on the list of professionals that people are attracted to, it’s certainly because people are attracted to attractive people, and attractive people stand a better chance of becoming models. This isn’t a reason not to become a model, per se – just don’t expect the decision to yield a dramatic uptick in your love-life.
This is another profession where we’ll need to attach a considerable caveat, and that’s that there’s an enormous difference between the top end of the music business and the bottom. Lang Lang and Steven Tyler are attractive (even if they’re not fantastic to look at) than some penniless busker. Once women have reached their mid-twenties, they’re sure to be a lot less impressed by a few strummed chords and a lot more impressed by blokes who drive German-made performance cars and earn their living trading collateralised debt obligations.
Everyone likes to live with a person who can cook, and so it’s probably little surprise that chefs are attractive. They’ve got a skill that’s always going to be in demand; they’re creative enough to compose new dishes; and they’re hard-working enough to work ridiculous hours. You’ll also have the advantage of being able to cook a prospective partner something mind-blowing early in the relationship and thus give it the best possible chance of flourishing.
Of course, people who earn their living writing articles about what women find attractive are undoubtedly the most attractive men of all. The reasons for this are not well-understood – but the fact is inarguable. Fortunately, these characters rarely venture from their darkened typing-caves. Thus, the rest of the male population has little to worry about.
If you’re reading this, then you’re probably concerned about what women find attractive. There are the obvious things, to be sure: women want men of a high status, who are great to look at, physically impressive and mentally sharp. If they come equipped with a sizeable disposable income, then so much the better. There are a few qualities, however, which women also find attractive but which might not be obvious to men. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Being able to cultivate plants demonstrates that you possess several qualities that women are attracted to. The first that women find attractive is patience, because growing plants takes time. The second most attractive to females in this scenario is commitment, because it also requires watering them just about every day. The third is taste – because the right plants in the right order will spruce up your cooking, and release a whole load of pleasing aromas which women will appreciate even more than you do! You don’t even need a garden to tick this particular box – just keep a few house plants around your apartment. If you’re mixing a round of mojitos and pop out onto the balcony to retrieve a spring of fresh mint, then women are almost always going to be impressed. Plus, fresh herbs make everything taste good, and so they’d be worth cultivating even if women didn’t find them appealing.
“Bones heal, chicks dig scars, and the United States has the best doctor to daredevil ratio in the world” explains hospitalised Lance Murdock, as he encourages Bart Simpsons to put his life in danger. Whether these particular words of wisdom still hold true more than a quarter of a century after this episode was first broadcast, it’s probably undeniable that chicks do indeed dig scars. They evidence a man who’s not afraid to risk life and limb, which is exciting. Of course, there’s a tendency among certain sorts of men to exaggerate the extent to which women appreciate men who’ve been mutilated – and there’s nowhere near enough evidence to suggest that it’s worth going out and seeking peril – or, worse yet, inflicting wounds upon yourself. Then there’s the fact that, if you go out of your way to look like a Cuban drug-lord, then the sort of women you attract will probably be high-risk propositions. Still, if you’ve got a scar, there’s no sense in disguising it – just be prepared to come up with a glamorous white lie about how you came to be scarred. Getting drunk and falling off a kerb isn’t going to impress women; defending a stricken puppy from an angry bear just might. Just try not to make your story too implausible.
Now, some of you might be reading this with befuddlement. Isn’t it obvious that women find men attractive when they can cook? But for some men, this message hasn’t quite sunk in. Wouldn’t it be easier, they reason, to simply find a woman who enjoys cooking? The answer is no; cooking skill demonstrates that you’re self-sufficient. Moreover, women who are able to cook are more likely to take a dim view of your failure. It might be that a woman has at some point uttered the words “I went over to his house and he cooked me a meal, and it was delicious. I was no longer attracted to him after he did that.” If you are determined not to cook, then seek this woman out. If you’d like to choose from the clear majority of women, then learn to cook. We’re serious: it’s not difficult, it’ll help to get you into shape, and it’ll grant you access to a whole myriad of textures, flavours and aromas. What’s not to like? We've also written a post on why should you pickup the bill on your date? which you may also find helpful.
It’s perplexing that glasses are synonymous with brains. While it’s true that glasses correlate with higher levels of intelligence, it’s not universally true. We’ve all met the occasional poor soul who’s cursed with both terrible eyesight and the wits of an overripe mango. But while stereotypes can be misleading, they’re a quick way of assessing strangers – and women are just as guilty of making snap judgements as men. These judgements, once made, are difficult to shake – so it might be worth getting your eyes tested just in case. If you don’t need glasses, then you can always wear totally-flat ‘fashion’ glasses.
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Dealing with women can sometimes be awkward. Interactions between the genders are often a great deal more fraught than they otherwise might be. We’ve recently seen a demonstration of what happens when Men Go Too Far. In the wake of a Google employee being unceremoniously fired for writing a fairly bland memo, men around the globe might be hiding under their beds for fear of falling foul of the prevailing gendered etiquette. You might view even the most trivial problem, like who pays for the bill after a first date, with trepidation. Is offering to pay going to be interpreted as an insult to your date’s financial autonomy, and secure you the label of a misogynist Neanderthal? There’s always a chance. But with our help, it’ll be a small chance. Let’s run through exactly how you might untangle this awkward knot without sending the wrong message.
Firstly, let’s not exaggerate the problem too much – most women are quite reasonable. Moreover, it’s probably best to identify those who aren’t on the first date. You can therefore view the question of who pays the bill as a test of their suitability for a second date rather than your own. If they react in a way that’s insane, then you can probably write off the second date.
The first rule is that you’re the man, you should always offer to pay. This is the first date, so you probably won’t have gone somewhere that’s going to cripple you financially. If you’re worried about the cost of picking up the bill, then be sure to choose somewhere affordable – and profess that you aren’t hungry enough for a starter. Few women are going to insist on having a starter on a first date. If you say ‘who’s getting this, then?’ you are stepping into a minefield. If you don’t think this is fair, then you’re probably right – but then life isn’t fair. Besides, she might not always agree. If she is pleased with your offer, then she’ll allow you to pay for the meal and that’ll be the end of it.
A more likely outcome is that she’ll object – but these objections will probably not be serious ones. She’s just being polite. She might even offer to split the bill. This is your chance to be relaxed about the whole thing. Just wave your hand and say something like “don’t worry about it.” Because, after all, it’s not something that’s worth worrying about. Except, of course, it is, because of all the points of the evening, it’s the moment that’s most likely to send the whole encounter down the toilet. If you don’t insist, then you run the risk of sending the wrong message. She might think that you’re not interested. If you really aren’t interested, then this might be fine; if you are, it could be disastrous. She might also think that you’re not particularly gallant – which might seem old-fashioned, but it’s still important. A man who’s willing to impose a cost on his partner (even a thoroughly deserved one, like the cost of the meal she’s just eaten), is a man who’s less attractive than one who isn’t. Again, this is manifestly unfair, but the dinner-date itself isn’t really somewhere that you can safely right this particular societal wrong
Some women just won’t let you pay. They’ll escalate the disagreement into an argument, and then the argument into a full-blown shouting match. If you’d like to fall out in the middle of a restaurant, then you can keep insisting – or head for the toilet and then sneakily settle the bill on the way back, at the risk of exciting a howl of rage. They might have an ideological reason for putting up a fight: they might subscribe to a brand of feminism which forbids a man from paying for a woman’s crab linguine. They might just have a prideful streak a mile wide. Whatever their reasons, just give up and let them do as they please. There’s no law demanding you call them again.
If it’s drinks, then the rules are a little more egalitarian. If you’d like to spark up a conversation with a stranger, then buying them a drink is a great way to do it. If you’re drinking with a girl you’ve been dating for a few weeks, then proceed in rounds. If you’re going to go in rounds, then keep an eye on the price of your respective drinks. If you’re ordering double Grey Goose and she’s ordering a cheap beer, then she’ll probably be a lot less keen on seeing you the following night.
Of course, none of this need imply that mankind is cursed to pay for the meals of womankind forever more – it’s only the first few dates where this is the case. Once you’ve changed your Facebook status to ‘in a relationship’, you can start to think about splitting the bill. From then on, it’s only special occasions like anniversaries and birthdays.
However you like to style the hairs on your face, you’ll want to devote some regular time to keeping them in check. For those of us who like at least part of our faces clean-shaven, this is particularly important – as even a day’s worth of stubble can make the difference.
Unfortunately, many of us repeat the same shaving mistakes over and over again, and thus we aren’t achieving quite the quality of shave that we otherwise might. By making a few simple tweaks to our routines, we can eliminate these problems and achieve a smoother shave.
While shaving might seem a trivial thing, it’s something that you’ll need to do regularly (or even daily) for the rest of your life. Making a few simple corrections is surely worth it in the long-term. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how to achieve a better shave and a few classic shaving mistakes and errors!
The hairs on your face don’t sprout in a consistent direction. If they did, then shaving would be much easier. When shaving, you’ll want to account for the angle at which the hairs emerge from the skin. Move the blade in the same direction as the grain for a minimum of resistance. If each hair needs to be folded back before a cut can occur, then the result is sure to be irritation as the skin around the bottom of the hair is yanked around.
If you aren’t able to achieve a close enough shave with a single pass with the grain, then you can proceed to re-lather your face and shave across the grain, and then against the grain. This is one of the areas where straight razors have an advantage over their safer counterparts, as they’re able to slice through hairs easily, largely irrespective of the direction of the grain.
There is something a little counter-intuitive about only resting your razor lightly against your skin – but that’s precisely what you should be doing. Many new shavers feel, somewhat understandably, that to achieve a close shave, one should move the blade closer to one’s skin – to the point that it’s jammed against the jawbone. While the logic of this approach might be understandable, it’s not going to yield a close shave – by pressing the blade into the skin, you’ll create a valley, which will actually move the bottom of your hairs away from the razor. Modern razors can guard against this with the help of flat surfaces either side of the blade itself, but the easiest approach is to simply not press down.
One of the biggest problems for new shavers is getting the right amount of lather onto the face. Really, you only need a little bit to lubricate the skin sufficiently for the blade to move across it easily. You’re not looking to give yourself a foam beard. It’s better to go for a little bit of a high-quality shaving gel or shaving soap than a lot of a poor quality one – with the right brushing, you’ll be able to work up a great lather with just a small amount of soap.
When you buy shaving foam in aerosol form, you’re also buying propellant required to store the gel in these conditions, which can act as a drying agent. In order to compensate for this, manufacturers of cheaper gels tend to pack artificial moisturising agents, preservatives and stabilisers into each can. To give your skin the best possible treatment, use a lathering soap or cream and apply it with a shaving brush.
Another problem related to this is a tendency to go back and catch any areas of skin that might have not been properly shaved, perhaps in a hard-to-reach area like the edge of the jawline. If it’s only a very small area, you might be tempted to proceed without re-lathering. Unfortunately, this is a sure- fire way to irritate the skin and cut yourself. At the very least you should ensure that the skin you’re shaving is wet!
Related to this problem is a tendency for strokes to overlap too much. By going over the same spot over and over again, you’re exposing yourself to the same risks. When shaving, therefore, we should endeavour to be as efficient as possible. Shave slowly and carefully, keeping overlap to a minimum, as though you were mowing a lawn. Since you won’t need to keep doing the same work again, this will decrease the time you spend shaving.
One big shaving mistake is reusing old, blunt blades over and over again. Just a single session can hamper the effectiveness of a blade – and multiple sessions can render a blade totally blunt. Using a blunt blade with increase friction between the blade and your skin, which will assuredly cause irritation. Do yourself and your skin a huge favour and keep a healthy stock of replacement razor blades on hand, and reach for them at least every few days.
The most neglected aspect or most common of shaving mistakes has to be preparation. Before beginning each wet shave, your skin should be properly cleaned and hydrated – otherwise you’ll be pushing unwanted grime into the surface of the skin. This is a mistake often made by those making the switch from an electric, dry shave which doesn’t get as close to the skin. Clearly, a thorough clean is in order. Use water that’s warm without being scalding, and use a soap that’s made for your face. Hand-washes tend to be a little more caustic, and will strip the oils away, drying out the skin and increasing the risk of acne. Pat your face with a flannel, but don’t rub it – this will exacerbate any problems with acne by irritating your skin.
Once you’ve eliminated these common shaving mistakes from your shaving routine, you’ll find that your life in front of the bathroom mirror is a great deal more enjoyable – and, what’s more, your face will be a great deal cleaner, smoother, and happier. Within a few weeks, you’ll wonder why you did things any other way!
]]>The prospect of wearing jewellery is one that many men look forward to with relish. On the other hand, there are others who view the practice with a sense of foreboding normally reserved for leather trousers and spray-tan. If you’re as naturally conservative with your fashion as most men are, then you might view cuffs, bracelets, necklace & pendants and men's rings with a dollop of healthy scepticism. Get things wrong, and you’ll risk looking ridiculous. Fortune, however, favours the bold. Provided that you’ve a decent appreciation of what works and what doesn’t, you’ll be able to confidently incorporate a few choice pieces of masculine jewellery for men into your wardrobe. More and more men are doing it nowadays – and not just the sort of celebrities whose job involves taking fashion risks. If you’re going to invest in a nice new pair of trousers and a shirt, then a investing a few choice accessories can really help to tie and outfit together and make it truly yours. A well-chosen accessory will convey a little bit of your personality, and provide a unifying thread through your entire collection of shoes, shirts, trousers and jackets. After all, you’ll be wearing your chosen jewellery at every chance – but larger items of clothing will need to be washed.
As a rule, men tend to view duller, subtler materials like silver, brass and steel more favourable than glitzy ones like gold and platinum. If you’re looking to get into the world of jewellery, but you’d rather dip your toe before taking a dive, then let’s consider the safest points of entry.
Wristwatches are the most common accessory for men – presumably because they perform a function. But it’s a function that, let’s face it, is no longer served, as most of us carry electronic clocks in our jean pockets. A good mechanical wristwatch is certain to draw the eye – and the best of them can cost many thousands of dollars. While watches of this sort are unlikely to go out of style, they’re being complemented and sometimes even replaced by other decorative items that don’t contain dozens of tiny cogs. After all, the watch itself is mostly decorative – very few of us need to keep track of the time down to the second, and when we do there’s an app for it.
Wedding rings and bands are another decoration that men have worn for ages. As such, it’s safe and uncontroversial. Wedding rings should be plain, and ideally, they should match with the rest of your attire – but there are no other real requirements. The only downside is that you need to find someone willing to marry you before you can safely wear one.
If you’re wearing a tie every day, then pinning it to your shirt will prevent it from flapping about like it’s trying to escape whenever you lean forward. But a tie pin is another opportunity to customise your look a little. There are several different sorts of tie-pin available, but they’re all relatively thin and subtle, and so present a chance for risk-free creativity.
Cuff links are another item that’s been used for ages, but whose functionality has been surpassed by its ability to offer designers with a blank canvas. Cuff links can be decorated in a range of different ways – from the subtle to the garish. As such, you’ll be able to get away with a showier design.
Since you’re not looking to draw attention to your rings, bracelets and pendants with glitzy gold or jewels, you’ll want to get aesthetic value across in some other way. By using imagery that’s evocative and meaningful, designers have been able to make jewellery attractive without being overly bling-y. Religious symbols are never going to go out of style – even long-dead folk religions like those of ancient Greece and Viking Scandinavia are still alive and well in the men’s fashion industry. In the latter case, you might find a range of options available. Other popular symbols are those of soldiery and sailing, for the simple reason that these two industries have historically been extremely male-dominated – and, to an extent, still are. It’s perhaps unsurprising, therefore, that anchors, ship’s wheels, bullets and skulls are so popular among male-friendly jewellers.
Of course, you’ll want to pick out an item that’s significant to you, since you’re the one who’s going to be wearing it. If you’re able to put on a specific item of jewellery each morning knowing that it conveys a little bit of your personality and interests, then you’ll be much more likely to wear it convincingly! If you're still looking for tips or guidance try visiting our post which looks at how to get it right with a men's jewellery guide.
]]>When it comes to how we look, one rule stands above all others: we should all look like ourselves, rather than some other person. Clothing, hair, tattoos and jewellery all offer us a means of presenting a little dose of our personality to the outside world. This is something which no fashion designer, however talented, can achieve – it’s something that the person putting the outfit together must think about. Fortunately, most of the time this exercise is simple – and it’s often great fun. You simply choose the clothes that look good together, and wear them. If you like the way you look, after all, then it stands to reason that your look will reflect the sorts of things you like. But there are some instances where something just isn’t quite right, and you look as though you’ve been plucked from the pages of a clothing catalogue. There are several reasons why this might be the case. Let’s look at some of the most common, and see how we might remedy the situation.
Chain stores are, on the whole, a welcome development. They’re able to produce and distribute goods in a way that smaller retailers simply can’t match. But they aren’t perfect, and among their flaws is the fact that all of their stuff is mass-produced. Which means that it’ll often be of a lesser quality, and that you’ll often encounter other people who are wearing exactly the same outfit as you. While there’s no way to completely avoid this occurrence (unless you’re the sort of fabulously wealthy person who’ll exclusively wear bespoke one-off items), you can minimise it by going for smaller artisanal producers.
Wearing the same colours over and over again can rapidly become very tedious. But if your wardrobe contains just a few pastel shades of brown and blue amidst a sea of blacks and whites, this tedium is largely unavoidable. Most men are incredibly conservative when it comes to their choice of clothing – and experimenting with the odd brightly-coloured garment every once in a while isn’t going to hurt. Despite what we might have all learned from the Simpsons, wearing a pink shirt to work isn’t a marker of insanity. Give it a try!
Peer pressure is an ugly thing. It can tempt would-be fashionistas into wearing some of the most ridiculous clothing imaginable. If you’re noting a developing trend with alarm, because you dread the prospect of having to wear something you don’t like, then fear not – there are some things that will never go out of fashion, and you’ll always be able to safely return to them. With that said, if there’s a new and exciting development that you really can’t wait to jump on board with, then don’t let fear stand in your way!
Accessories will help to provide your outfit with the finishing touches that’ll set it apart from everyone else’s. Add some extra flavour to a work outfit with a pair of thick-rimmed spectacles and some well-chosen cufflinks, or improve your casual appearance with an eye-catching belt-buckle. If you're trying to individualise your style, the most worthwhile accessories, however, are undoubtedly Clocks and Colours masculine jewellery for men which include rings, bracelets and necklace & pendants – as they can be worn in almost every situation. Opt for something that reflects your tastes and personality; that way you’ll feel far more comfortable wearing it.
You’re only going to be able to wear so many clothes at the same time – and so there’s no real reason to have a horde of cheap t-shirts and jeans. This goes especially so for men's jewellery – which you’re going to be wearing almost constantly, and which will last for years or even decades. This isn’t to say, however, that expensive automatically equals quality. You’ll find variations from brand to brand and store to store – so be sure to shop around in search of your perfect attire. Check out our post on investing in quality masculine jewellery. One fantastic example of this principle comes in the form of a made-to- measure suit. You pay more, but you get the reward of unparalleled comfort, and avoid the nagging sensation that you’re an imposter who’s wearing someone else’s clothing for the day.
Mankind is currently enjoying something of a golden age of grooming. Men, almost as much as women, are now going out of their way to look and feel good about themselves – and they’re doing so without the slightest whiff of apology. While this uptick in male cleanliness isn’t guaranteed to last forever, it’s seen the growth of a healthy industry dedicated to accommodating the modern man’s newfound desire to look and smell fantastic – without compromising his masculinity. Since you’re going to be spending time in the bathroom more often, it follows that you’ll want to kit it out just as well as the other rooms in your house. Having done so, you’ll earn the appreciation of your co-habitants – whatever gender they might belong to. Let’s take a look at some of the men's bathroom essentials purchases that’ll make your morning grooming routine and life more enjoyable.
It won’t have escaped the notice of anyone reading this men's bathroom essentials post that beards are well and truly in, and look set to be so for at least a few years to come. But this needn’t mean we allow our facial furniture to grow ragged and unkempt. A shaving ritual is therefore called for, along with a shaving kit full of pairs of moustache scissors, adjustable beard trimmers and enough moisturising & beard oils and waxes to maintain an enviable beard for several decades. One item that’s often neglected, however, is a small shaving mirror. After all, who wants to spend their time hunched forward across the sink to examine their facial hair in the desired detail? Get a bowled mirror on a telescopic arm attached to the bathroom wall. You’ll then be able to trim your beard in precise detail without having to give yourself backache. As a bonus, you’ll be able to shave in the shower, too – just remember to get a fog-proof mirror.
If you’re going to be assembling a suitable catalogue of grooming products, then you’ll need somewhere to store them. That’s where a set of bathroom shelves will come in handy. Don’t just hurl your stylish collection into the space just above the toilet; get things organised with the help of a suitable cabinet.
If you’re going to be storing things like bars of soap, cotton buds and swabs, then you’ll need a few suitably air-tight jars to store them in. Get some that match your shelves and stow them on the bottom, and you need never frantically search for the next bar of soap.
If you’re one of the many men who’ve experienced the trauma of dropping a mobile phone into a toilet bowl, then you’ll want to keep your expensive electronics equipment as far away from water sources as possible. Fortunately, it’s possible to keep your phone in your trouser pocket throughout your stay in the bathroom with the help of a suitable waterproof Bluetooth speaker. Jam it onto the side of your shower and you’ll be able to stream music even when you’re soaking wet – and you’ll even be able to answer calls while you’re at it!
Showering is a fantastically convenient means of keeping oneself clean – but without a decent quality shower head (and indeed, enough pressure to drive it) your experience is likely to be lacking. Since you’re going to be spending at least a few minutes beneath this device each day for a substantial chunk of your life, it makes sense to invest in one that’s up to the job. There’s nothing more annoying than having to crane your neck in order to expose the entirety of your scalp to the tepid dribble emanating from a rusty old shower-head.
The modern man simply has to take grooming seriously if he wants to feel good. There are few sensations more irritating, after all, than the nagging suspicion that your appearance is letting you down. With that in mind, let’s examine some of the trends that men are turning to – or those that they might turn to in the near future!
Recent years have witnessed an unwelcome fashion trend, which demanded that men cram their legs into the most restrictive jeans possible. Taken to the extreme, this development invariably causes the trouser-wearer to look absurd (but then, one might say that about just about anything in the world of fashion). A far more pressing concern is the restrictive effect that skinny jeans have on the blood supply to one’s extremities. Even if your toes haven’t yet turned blue, the discomfort associated with tight trousers is in the process of finally relaxing. In some parts of the world, the pendulum has swung back in the opposite direction, and men are wearing the sort of tent-like apparel that’ll see their legs move more freely – but which marginally increases the risk of being trapped in an elevator door.
If you’re going to go to the trouble of washing your hair, then you might as well spend an extra few seconds conditioning it as well. With shampoo manufacturers long having taken the step of packaging shampoo and conditioner into the same miraculous package, men really have run out of excuses not to. By taking this step, scalps across the planet have become fuller, lusher, and more glorious. Who would want to go back to the way things were? A new development in the world of men’s hair-care has seen the rise of so called ‘deep’ conditioning. This involves applying a single very intensive moisture-providing substance to your hair each week. It’ll require a little bit more effort, but the results may prove worth it – just rub it into your scalp at the end of each shower, and then let it rest for around fifteen minutes before you finally rinse it out. If that seems like a long time, then you could always use those fifteen minutes to do something useful – beard-trimming and sink-unblocking being two worthwhile activities.
This one isn’t so much a new male grooming trend as a resurgence of an older one. While women might receive some justifiable criticism for taking too much time to get ready for an evening out, this isn’t a state of affairs that’s worn into our DNA. In days gone by, men would devote just as much time to getting ready each morning – and often even more. The routine of getting up each morning and restoring your face to the point where, even if you’re not blessed with a perfectly-proportioned face, everyone can see that you’ve made an effort not to look dreadful. A big night out the previous evening might leave a considerable mark on the quality of one’s skin, eyes and hair – and the application of a few key products can make a considerable difference. Increasingly, men have access to a larger arsenal of weapons with which to fight against bags, wrinkles, overgrowth and acne. By working this stuff into a fixed ritual that you perform each morning, you’re more likely to remember all of them.
One unexpected development has been the advent of skincare products that are infused with caffeine. After all, we were all aware of the benefits and drawbacks of this traditionally-orally- administered stimulant; rather few of us suspected that great things might be achieved by massaging it into our scalps. Caffeine-infused men's grooming products act as anti-oxidants, fighting free radicals and thereby promoting skin elasticity – or, at least, that’s the idea. It remains to be seen whether caffeine is going to remain a permanent addition to the bathroom cabinet, but it’s certainly worth giving a try in the immediate future.
One of the most visible trends in recent years has been the encouragement of beard-growth. While just a few years ago the beard would have been the exclusive preserve of sailors, lumberjacks and the interminably lazy, now everyone’s wearing them: from actors to sportsmen to singers to the person who collects your rubbish. Of course, there’s no way that this trend can last forever. Beards have fallen in and out of fashion for time immemorial, and so an inevitable relapse into clean-shaving is something that even the most optimistic purveyor of beard-maintenance products will have to prepare for.
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A few choice accessories can make the difference between a fantastic outfit and a bland one. With the help of the right bracelet, ring or pendant, you’ll be able to provide your wardrobe with the required dose of showmanship. But tracking down this elusive item isn’t always as straightforward as it might seem. This is an area where women certainly have it easier, thanks to the enormous range of jewellery available to them. You might have noticed an abundance of women’s jewellery on display at your local shopping mall, but a relative paucity of the sort of thing you’d happily wear. Faced with this apparent shortage of masculine bling, men need to be especially careful in picking out the right stuff. After all, the wrong choice is as likely to ruin your appearance as it is to enhance it! Let’s consider how we might select the right jewellery for men, and safely incorporate it into our wardrobes.
When it comes to investing in quality men's jewellery, it’s better to err on the side of subtlety. Unless you’re going to be working as a soldier of fortune or a boxing promoter, a little jewellery is almost always better than a lot. Several rings on each finger and bracelets stacked up to your elbow is not a good look. Everyone will notice that you’re wearing jewellery, but they won’t be able to pick out any of the details. It’s a lot like demonstrating the quality of your new favourite band by playing all of their songs at once – the result is going to be unconvincing, whatever the merits of the components.
Since you’re only going to be buying just a few items of masculine jewellery rather than several dozen, you’ll be able to devote more of your budget to achieving the appropriate quality. Since you’re going to be wearing these items more regularly than any one shirt or pair of trousers should justify investing a little more. Unlike a phone, a car or a television, a piece of high-quality jewellery is not going to be made obsolete in a few year’s time. You might even like a piece so much that you decide to pass it on to the next generation – or the one after that! Also visit our post on rising trends in men's jewellery and how to get it right with our men's jewellery guide.
The maxim of subtlety can also be applied to the materials themselves. Sparkling, glittery jewellery will draw attention, while dull, matt shades will sit comfortably alongside the rest of your clothing. As such, gold jewellery is out, as are all but the subtlest precious jewels. Instead, you’ll want to opt for other materials. Silver jewellery is a great alternative to gold, as it’s good-looking without being ostentatious. The same can be said of brass, which is distinctly less shiny than gold – provided it hasn’t been polished to within an inch of its life. Steel jewellery makes a great alternative for those on a budget; it exudes a pleasingly manly ‘industrial’ aesthetic. A great deal of the most popular men’s jewellery comes attached to a leather strap. These will wrap nicely around your wrist or neck, allowing you to display a single metal ornament prominently without the means of attaching it dominating your wrist or neck.
Men's jewellery, like facial hair, is something that men have until relatively recently been wary of wearing. If done improperly, after all, there’s an appreciable risk that you might get things hideously wrong. Fortunately, this fate needn’t befall you, as there exist several rules of thumb that’ll enable you to wear jewellery without risking the slightest embarrassment. Let’s run through a few of the better ones.
If you’ve just slapped down a significant sum on a piece of jewellery, then you might wish to get your money’s worth. On the other hand, you might subconsciously look to draw attention to your purchase. In either instance, the temptation to fiddle with your jewellery, whether it’s a pendant, a ring or a bracelet, might prove irresistible. Nevertheless, it’s a temptation which simply must be resisted if you’re to avoid looking like you’re trying to draw attention to it. A piece of jewellery should be ornamental – not interactive.
The average men's ring occupies barely any space. You’ll have room enough for one on each finger – or perhaps even more. But there’s a reason that few people do this. Not only can it be uncomfortable, but it’ll look overcrowded and confused. The maximum you should wear on any hand should be two. If you really can’t decide which ring you’d like to wear, then try tossing a coin.
The same ‘less is more maxim’ applies to other pieces of jewellery, too. In the case of men's cuff bracelets, you might be able to get away with slightly more, provided that the bracelets are in question are suitably austere. One might easily stack five or even six leather straps onto one’s wrist without looking gaudy, but if you try to do the same thing with five or six metal bracelets (cuffs), the result is almost assuredly going to be loud, brash, and distasteful.
One of the most popular accessories worn by men is the wristwatch. Get a mechanical one in silver or chrome, matching it with the rest of your jewellery. High-quality men's watches can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to several million, but they play a huge role in determining your overall look. Wristwatches are popular gifts for significant occasions – but if you’re going to buy one for yourself, be sure to set yourself a budget and stick to it.
If you’re wearing a Fitbit or some other heart-rate monitor, then you might find that it doesn’t quite look as good as the more traditional wristwatch. Roll your sleeve down over the top of it, or swap out the strap for something more elegant. This is a case where you might wish to distract from an accessory rather than draw attention to it; so cramming several leather straps onto the surrounding space on your wrists might be more forgivable.
If you’re going to wear a pendant and necklace, then wear it so that people can see it. This means either wearing it over the top of your shirt, wearing it so high that it peeks over the top of your collar, or unbuttoning your shirt so that your pendant and necklace is on display. Unless you’re wearing something for reasons other than aesthetic ones, then there’s little point in hiding it. Some workplaces might require that jewellery be concealed – but it’s not as though you’ll be concealing it from yourself!
If you’re fortunate enough to be married, then a ring is the traditional means of advertising it. Invest in a wedding band that matches the rest of your attire, or a few that can be easily swapped around to match different styles. Naturally, the same prohibition against overcrowding applies – though the wedding band might traditionally be plainer than other ornamental or signet rings, it’ll still contribute to the overall level of bling you have on your hands.
Thus far, we’ve outlined the men's jewellery guide – somewhat playfully describing them as ‘rules’. Of course, these aren’t ‘rules’ in the strictest sense of the word. We’ll therefore close by mentioning a final rule: that you should wear things that you like wearing. There’s very little point, after all, in clothes that you don’t like, however much your style might contravene some rule or other. The same goes for other people’s taste in clothing; if you’d like to wear skulls, bullets and animal teeth around your wrists, fingers and neck, then why let anyone else’s taste stand in the way of you doing so?
]]>Taking care of one’s skin is serious business. If you’re like most men, then you might have already realised this: the epiphany might have struck on a Monday morning, when having stumbled to the bathroom you find that the bleary-eyed face gaping back at you from the bathroom mirror resembles that of an elderly triceratops. If you’re especially unlucky, you might have had another person draw attention to the problem. Though men are far less likely than women to admit it, poor skin can be a serious drain on self- esteem. More than that, it can be a cause of persistent discomfort and can lead to other side effects. The skin forms a crucial part of the immune system, and if its pores are blocked with excess oil, or its surface is dried and cracked, then harmful bacteria will have an easier time getting through and causing problems. Poor skin is a problem that will in many cases worsen with the passage of time. Men experience it in different ways. Some might have especially dry skin; others might have especially oily skin; an unfortunate minority might have a little bit of both. Happily, there exists a growing and competitive industry dedicated to help men keep their skin in good condition – along with several more traditional tips and tricks that will keep your skin in the best possible condition.
It should go without saying that dry skin is caused by a lack of moisture. It’s for this reason that so many skincare products proudly boast of their hydrating effect. Fortunately, the body has a fantastic built-in method of getting water to the skin – and that’s through the digestive system. Drink plenty of water, and this mechanism will be able to keep your skin hydrated; don’t get enough, and it won’t. Of course, everyone knows that drinking plenty of water is important – not just for reasons of skincare, but for more general health reasons, too. This doesn’t mean choking down a gallon of the stuff in one sitting, however – there is such a thing as too much water. Drink around half a pint every waking hour and you’ll provide your skin with the resources required.
Your skin, like all of the organs in your body, is constantly replacing itself. It does this from the bottom-up; new skin growth occurs at the bottom; old, dead skin cells eventually fall from the top. Occasionally, it’s good to give these older cells a helping hand. This is the role of an exfoliating face scrub, a substance filled with tiny particles of grit that’ll lift up those dead skin cells and remove them, allowing the skin beneath to properly breathe. If you don’t remove this layer, then the result can be a blockage, an accumulation of oil, and a blackhead or a spot.
If you suffer from acne on your body, then the situation will almost certainly be aggravated by a very intensive blast of heat from a shower or sauna. While every man’s skin will react slightly differently to the heat, it’s worth experimenting by turning things down just a little bit. Cold showers tend not to last for quite as long as hot ones, and for obvious reasons, and thus their effect on the skin is not as pronounced. Paradoxically, more water in this context will dry your skin out after you’ve got out and towelled off! You might therefore wish to use a special hydrating lotion on troublesome areas after you’ve dried off.
If you’re maintaining an active lifestyle, as all men doubtless should, then you’ll run into the problem of friction more often. If you’re going for a daily job or lifting weights, then callouses and rashes might develop. In many cases these problems might be superficial; in others they might lead to weakness and pain. Talcum powder is a lifesaver, particularly for cyclists who need to stay in the saddle for hours on end. If your sweaty skin is allowed to repeatedly rub against itself, its surface will erode until a fungal infection develops. This is not only painful and undesirable in and of itself, but it’ll also inhibit your performance – which removes most of the point of exercise.
It’s at this point that we’re tempted to retreat into giggling euphemism or ignore the area entirely, but when it comes to skincare, your genitals are an area of special concern. And this is something which every man who’s ever sat inside a crowded bus without air conditioning in the middle of a heat wave will attest to. With so much loose skin packed into a confined space, the potential for upset is off the charts. In recent years, men have been advised to get rid of their pubic hair entirely, for misguided cosmetic reasons. If you’ve attempted this, you’ll know that it’s highly problematic from a skincare perspective; those hairs are actually playing an important role in siphoning oil away from the surface of the skin, and preventing your sensitive parts from rubbing against one another too much. We humans might have evolved to sprout less skin than our chimpanzee cousins, but we’ve retained a healthy amount of the stuff in our nether-regions for a reason. That isn’t to say, however, that keeping things trim isn’t desirable: just that restraint is called for. Keep things to around a centimetre or two, and use a specially-designed trimmer if you’re going to maintain things often.
We’ve mentioned just a few members of the small army of cosmetics competing for the dollar of the modern man. Many of them, to be sure, have a specific application and will prove themselves valuable servants – but you’re not going to attain great-quality skin simply by cramming your bathroom cabinet with as many moisturisers and face scrubs as you can lay your hands on. By sticking to the basics: drinking plenty of water, and keeping things trim, you’ll be well on your way to getting the best possible skin.
]]>The skin is the largest of the body’s organs, and one that plays a crucial role in excluding harmful bacteria, fungus and viruses. But more than that, it plays a crucial cosmetic function. By and large, people who have good skin look good, and those who have bad skin look bad. There now exists a sizeable industry dedicated to providing the modern gentleman with everything he needs to keep his skin in top-notch, glowing condition. But all of those products won’t be of any use if they’re improperly used. Let’s take a look at some rules to follow when caring for your skin – but in doing so, let’s bear in mind that, like the Pirate Code, these ‘rules’ represent guidelines more than they do hard-and- fast commandments. With that caveat out of the way, let’s begin!
When you’re shopping for skincare products, you’ll want to match your skin with the right product. But this doesn’t just mean considering whether your skin is dry or oily; you’ll also want to consider your personal preference. If you find the sensation of apply your product to be cumbersome, annoying, or unpleasant, then you’re unlikely to persist in applying it. Achieving great skin isn’t a test of religious devotion; buy products that you enjoy using.
Many popular skin care products, particularly at the mass-market end of the spectrum, come crammed with artificial chemicals. This isn’t to say that their synthetic nature is a bad thing, but it can sometimes mean that they’re harsher than their more expensive alternatives. If you find that you respond badly to a particular product, it might be that one of its ingredients doesn’t agree with you.
Your body has an exceptionally powerful inbuilt mechanism that’ll deliver the right amount of water to your skin, preventing dryness. Of course, sometimes this mechanism isn’t as effective as it might be, but if there isn’t enough water available, your skin is certain to dry out. This means drinking plenty of water at regular intervals throughout the day.
Alcohol, famously, has a dehydrating effect that’ll interfere will your skin. By the same token, smoking will interfere with your circulation and lead to your skin sagging.
A scalding hot shower is sure to damage the top layer of your skin and prevent it from properly moisturising. In this case, water can actually dehydrate your skin after you’ve dried it out, as it’ll expand your pores and promote water loss. There is a difference, after all, between water inside the cells of your epidermis and water running across the surface. If you turn your shower down to a frosty setting, then you’re likely to spend less time in there, and more time getting the business of washing done with so that you can get on with life.
Just as you might think a shower would provide hydration to your skin, you might also think that providing oils to already oily skin might make an acne problem worse. But this is a misunderstanding. What you must remember is that not all oils are the same – some of them dry, others hydrate. The aim of the game is to supplement the oils your skin produces naturally. These contain crucial fats and salts which help to keep the surface of the skin in good condition. Moreover, by removing oil from the top layer of skin, you’ll signal to the layers beneath that more oil is required – and the result might be a overcompensation which causes you to break out in spots.
Scrubbing away the dead skin cells on the top of your skin will help those underneath to properly breathe. But doing this every day will do more harm than good, as it’ll expand your pores – particularly if you’ve already got large ones. Bear in mind that the abrasive action of a shave will also have an exfoliating effect.
It should go without saying that a dull razor will have a harder time cutting your hairs. This will cause the roots of those hairs to be pulled, disturbing the surrounding skin and causing irritation – as well as small cuts and nicks.
Staying indoors all day will lead to a vitamin D deficiency that you’ll need to compensate for with supplements (or diet). Fortunately, you don’t need all that much exposure to feel the benefits of a day in the sun.
This is another piece of advice which has been around for awhile, but which is stubbornly resisted by a minority. A more sizeable demographic will just apply sunscreen once in the morning and then consider themselves protected for the day – which is a recipe for burning in the late-afternoon sunshine. With that in mind, you don’t need to opt for an extremely high SPF factor to feel the benefits – in order to achieve a factor fifty, companies will often add irritant chemicals that offset the product’s strengths. Go for fifteen or thirty and make sure that it’s constantly refreshed, particularly after you’ve been swimming.
One of the best things you can do to improve the quality of your skin is ensure you’re enjoying a balanced diet. That means taking on board five servings of different vegetables each day, and around two servings of fruit. The anti-inflammatory minerals and vitamins present in such a diet will help to bolster the natural function of the skin, and keep it in the best possible condition.
Sleep doesn’t just act as a maintenance session for your mind; it’ll also help to control the way that your hormones are released over the course of the day. Since your skin can suffer when your hormone levels are inconsistent, a lack of sleep will often produce poor skin quality. You may also want to read our post in better skincare tips for men.
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Shaving for the first time is taken often as a landmark in the life of a man – it’s when you transition from being a child to an adult. If you’re lucky, you might have received an exacting lecture on the subject from your father (or some other father-figure) – but many of us didn’t benefit from the same quality of tutelage. Moreover, even those of us who did will have picked up some bad or obsolete habits. Shaving is a practice that can be performed well or badly. Success hinges on identifying and correcting shaving mistakes – and in so doing, achieving a smoother shave. By following the hints we’ll explore here, you’ll be able to ensure that your facial hair is kept in check – and that the health of your skin is preserved, too. The first step to getting things right, naturally, is to assemble a few choice items.
If you’re using sub-standard tools, then it should go without saying that you’re going to achieve sub- standard results. A dull razor, for instance, is not going to be able to scythe through your facial hair quite as easily as a sharp one – instead it’s going to pull your hair around and irritate the underlying skin. And if you’re using a dull blade, then you’ll need to shave the same area again and again, which will make the problem worse. Invest in a quality shaving sets, equipment and tools or at least keep a supply of disposable blades to hand, and don’t be tempted to re-use the same ones again and again – you’ll only achieve terrible results and ruin your skin. If you’re using a beard trimmer, invest in one that’ll last the distance – along with complementary brushes, combs and waxes designed specifically with beards in mind.
Another fundamental component of your shave comes in the form of your shaving gel or shaving cream. This serves several functions: it’ll allow you to easily see where you have and haven’t shaved; it’ll hydrate your hairs and make them easier to cut; and it’ll reduce friction between the blade and your skin, reducing damage to both. As well as selecting the right gel, you’ll want to apply it generously – though exactly how generously will depend on the brand. In some cases, you’ll be able to get away with a stingier helping – which can often justify the price of the more expensive sorts of gel.
Before you apply your shaving gel, you’ll want the skin of your face to be damp. It’s best to proceed shortly after you get out of the shower – dry your hair and shoulders, but leave your face damp enough to receive the gel. Friction will irritate your skin, and so it’s worth investing in a soft hand-towel dedicated to patting dry your face after you’ve shaved.
Another crucial reason to shower prior to shaving (rather than the reverse) is that the shaving process will naturally exfoliate the top layer or so of skin from your face as it removes the stubble. This requires a nuanced approach; you’ll want to protect your skin against excessive rubbing and bacteria during this delicate time. By washing your face before you get started, you’ll remove any oil and grime that might have accumulated on the surface of the skin, and you’ll prevent those substances from being scraped around the surface of your face.
The shape of the human skull means that some areas are trickier to shave than others. The corners just beneath your chin and your ears will require a little more delicacy than flatter areas, which will absorb the moisture from your shaving gel almost immediately. It is therefore best to begin with the latter. Start with your sideburns, ensuring that they’re consistent on either side. Then move onto your moustache and chin. This will provide the tougher areas with the time they need to absorb the moisture of the gel.
Shaving shouldn’t require applying any force. Your blade should easily glide across your skin, leaving a silky-smooth trail in its wake. If this doesn’t happen, then you’re either using the wrong technique, or your shaving tools or equipment are not up to scratch. If you find that you’re tempted to push the razor blade into your face in order to cut your hair down, then you need to step back and re-evaluate. Suffice to say, doing this will not cut the hairs any closer to the root – it’ll just irritate your skin and frustrate you.
After you’re done shaving, you’ll need to care for your face. This traditionally means aftershave, which doubles as a fragrance as well as a disinfectant. The older varieties of aftershave used to achieve this second effect through alcohol – which is why they’ll sting you if you’ve managed to cut yourself. Another side effect of this is that the alcohol will cause your face to turn slightly red – and redder still if you’ve irritated your skin while shaving. Back in the days where there was no real alternative to this, men justified the practice on the grounds that having to endure a little pain was part of the ritual of shaving. What manlier pastime could there be than standing in front of a bathroom mirror with a clenched jaw, waiting for the sensation to dissipate? Those days, thankfully, are long gone. The role of the aftershave has shifted to that of a calming and moisturising agent. As well as disinfecting your skin and removing any lasting harmful bacteria, it’ll keep your face hydrated, and won’t cause you to come out in an unsightly flush. For more advice on how to achieve a smoother shave visit our post on shaving tips for the traditional wet-shaver.
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Just a decade or so ago, a beard and moustache combination would be the preserve of heavy-metal musicians, live-action role-players and actors in period dramas. Nowadays, however, the tables have utterly turned – and facial furniture is more popular than ever. Is this just a passing fad, or are beards and moustaches here to stay? And what are the reasons behind this dramatic conversion of the mainstream? The reasons are practical as well as aesthetic. Besides helping the modern gentleman to look and feel fantastic, moustaches also serve several important functions. Let’s take a look at some of them!
A 2011 study into the links between skin cancer and moustache-wearing drew considerable press attention when it was first released (as indeed does most research with even the vaguest mention of what might cause or prevent cancer). As ever, the first casualty of this publicity was the truth of the contents of the study itself, which concluded that ‘protection from UVR (ultraviolet radiation) is provided by the facial hair; however, it is not very high…’ This conclusion would make sense – which a moustache will protect your skin against harmful rays, it covers such a small area of the face that its benefits would be negligible. Grow a beard that covers your entire neck and chest area, on the other hand, and those benefits would be more substantial. Longer facial hair equals reduced exposure to sunlight. A far more effective weapon in the battle against cancer deals not with skin cancer, but with prostate cancer. The charitable drive of Movember has been rumbling along steadily for several years now, and shows no sign of slowing. By growing a moustache for a month out of the year, participants can raise money for prostate cancer research. Of course, since moustaches are now more fashionable, the price men pay for growing one has shrunk considerably – and so this often ends up more as an excuse than a reason.
It’s a well-documented fact that men with moustaches are considered more trustworthy. That’s why they consistently appear in advertisements. Of course, there are some limits to the power of the moustache – they’re avoided by politicians, presumably out of a desire to avoid aping the 20th century’s most divisive figures. If your beard is medium-length and well-kempt, however, then you can expect those who you interact with to find you easier to trust.
People with moustaches are undoubtedly more attractive than those without. At first, it might not be entirely clear why this should be. But once you realise that the moustache helps to even out any subtle facial asymmetry, it begins to make sense. We human beings have adapted to consider facial symmetry one of the primary aesthetic criteria through which we judge one another’s suitability for mating. Or, to put it another way, if your face is wonky, then you’re probably uglier than if it’s nicely lined up. A moustache is a great way of covering this up.
On a related note, facial hair will also reliably induce strangers into talking to you. Moreover, they won’t be talking to you about something mundane like the weather or the possibility of a trade agreement between New Zealand and a post-Brexit Britain; they’ll be talking to you about your appearance, and probably in a complimentary way. Which, let’s face it, is something most men will welcome.
Growing a moustache means that you don’t have to spend as much of your time shaving. Depending on how much you value your time, this might amount to a considerable expense over the course of a year or more. Also, growing a beard or moustache will eliminate the need to go through disposable razors every day, thereby lessening the strain on one’s finances. Of course, we should note here that there’s a difference between growing a moustache and growing a high-quality moustache. In order to keep the latter under control, you’ll want a steady supply of moustache waxes and oils, and a high-quality pair of moustache scissors for trimming.
Grooming basically amounts to looking like you’re healthy and refreshed – but there are some days when this isn’t so easy. If you’re finding that you often look a little on the tired side, then it’s worth evaluating your lifestyle and grooming regimen to figure out exactly what’s causing the problem. Let’s consider some of the ways in which you’ll be able to look more refreshed every day of the year.
Working up a sweat helps to open up your pores, and will purge your body of harmful substances. The easiest and best way to do this is through exercise – hit the gym (or track, or trail) as hard as you can, work up and sweat and then transfer to the sauna. After you are appropriately drenched, you can make a quick transfer to the shower before drying up and going home. As well as boosting your health in general, a good sweat will improve circulation and strengthen your skin – which will in turn boost your immune system and keep you looking refreshed and awake.
A lack of moisture in your skin will hugely inhibit its ability to do its job. Skin cells rely on moisture to function properly, and thus keeping hydrated is crucial to preserving the function of the skin. The body has a powerful inbuilt mechanism for delivering water to your skin cells; drink enough water. While consuming eight regularly-dispersed glassfuls of water throughout the day won’t guarantee an end to skin problems, doing the opposite will guarantee that they get worse!
While there’s no requirement that you need live a monastic life in order to look your best, most of us could stand to cut back on a few substances which we know will do us harm. Alcohol will dehydrate you and interrupt your sleep (which, as we’ll see, is bad news for your skin and general demeanour. Smoking, as well as causing a number of adverse health effects, will restrict blood-flow and limit the production of collagen, the protein from which your skin is largely made. Look more refreshed everyday by cutting back on vices.
Before trimming your beard, it’s worth opening up your pores in the steam of the shower. Trim things back with a stylish straight razor or shaving set, as a dull one will have an unwanted abrasive effect on your skin as it pulls the hair follicles around. Apply a pre-shave oil and use a shaving cream. If you’re sporting a heavy beard, be sure to keep it under control with regular sculpting and waxing.
You never know when you’re next going to need to up your game when it comes to your clothing – an impromptu meeting, an unexpected date or a surprise interview all demand a superior sense of attire. That’s where a freshly-ironed white shirt and jacket is essential. The more of them you have hanging in your wardrobe, the better – wear them throughout the week and then iron them all at once.
If you’re not a naturally organised person, then it might take a special effort to organise your wardrobe – but once you’ve set aside the necessary time and gotten the job done, you’ll find that life is considerably less stressful. What’s more, you’ll be able to access the supplies you need to look and feel your best at the drop of a proverbial hat.
The little touches are what’s going to set your wardrobe apart and make you look more refreshed everyday. Fortunately, you don’t need many of them to make maximum impact – just keep them refreshed. Shoes should be regularly and pro-actively shined; coats and jackets should be given to your dry-cleaner at the end of each season; and watches and men's jewellery collections should be cleaned and buffed before they’ve a chance to deteriorate.
Puffy, swollen eyes are a sure indicator of fatigue. Bloodshot eyes are a sign of a lack of hydration, which can be addressed directly using appropriate eye-drops. Bags under your eyes can be removed using a special Baxter of California under- eye complex, but if you’d prefer a more natural remedy you might try chilling a teaspoon overnight and then pressing the rounded side gently against your eyes. This will cause the blood vessels to contract, which in turn will reduce swelling.
If there’s one thing likely to undermine your energetic appearance it’s an unkempt mop of shaggy hair. Get on top of things and look more refreshed everyday by trimming it, and thinning out heavy sections. Opt for a pomade that suits the natural qualities of your hair; lighter creams often yield better results than older-style thick gels. It’s worth considering the amount of effort that you’re willing to put into your hairstyle. If your ‘do' requires an hour’s preparation every time you get up in the morning, it’s probably not worth the effort. But, to take a less extreme example, if you find yourself skipping the stages of grooming that would get the best from your hair, it’s probably best to keep things simple and low-maintenance.
It should go without saying that the easiest way to look more refreshed everyday is to actually be refreshed. And this is the function of sleep. Few of us get the seven to eight hours that we really need every night – and even those of us that do don’t stick to the rigid schedule that’ll grant us the best possible results. Try to get to sleep at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. Special devices like the 'Fitbit' have made this task much easier – but there are freely-available apps which serve much the same purpose. Don’t spend your week catching up on the missed sleep at the weekend, and dedicate an hour-long period before bed to drifting off – avoiding the bright lights of your bathroom and smartphone screen. You’re sure to feel more alert and awake during your day that way – and, crucially, you’ll look it!
]]>If you’ve being paying the remotest attention over the past few years, you’ll have noted that more and more men are choosing to grow their facial hair beyond what was, until quite recently, considered sensible. Boardrooms, bars and beaches across the globe are now packed with all manner of styles of beards. And this behaviour isn’t just restricted to the super-trendy ‘hipster’ classes either – just about anyone capable of growing their facial hair now sports at least the vaguest layer of stubble. If you’re considering taking your facial hair to the next level, you might be held back a little by apprehension. After all, you never know how your friends and family might react to your new look - particularly if the results are a little on the sparse-and- fluffy side. You should put aside those reservations! An irredeemably dreadful beard is a mistake that can be rectified very quickly: just shave it off. Such measures need only be employed in especially severe cases; most of the time a few small adjustments are all that’s required. Let’s see if we can address some of the more common queries presented by novice beard-growers, and convince you to do new and wondrous things with your facial hair.
Just as you’ll need to match an additional item of furniture with the rest of your interior, so too will you need to match your facial hair with your face. The length of your beard will depend on your personal taste, your clothing, and the rest of your facial features. For the most part, beards tend to protrude a few inches at most from the wearer’s face. This is so for several reasons. Firstly, the lengthier the beard, the more effort involved. Secondly, many men are incapable of growing facial hair consistently enough for a longer beard to work. If you’re in this position, then you might wish to stop at a very short, ‘stubble’ beard. This typically takes a week or two to grow, and almost every man can pull it off. Having achieved it, you can then transition into the so-called ‘corporate’ beard, which is the shortest beard you can wear while still obscuring the skin beneath. The longer you grow your beard, the more scope you’ll have for styling it differently.
For inspiration, modern fashion has tended to turn to the 19 th century. German philosophers like Nietzsche and Italian composers like Verdi have provided an ideal for many a modern man to pursue. Exceptionally long beards are so impressive that they have a special nomenclature. A beard that’s grown for more than a year is known as a ‘yeard’, while one that’s grown for two is a ‘tweard’. Go beyond that, and you’re the wearer of a so-called ‘terminal beard’. Many of the sorts of people who have successfully grown their beard for this length of time describe the experience in almost religious terms, claiming that it will grant the participant a new perspective on life, in much the same way cycling around the world or giving up animal products might. The truth is that it’s an enormous commitment which most of us can’t (or won’t) meet; unless you’re going to be playing bass in Orange Goblin, or you’ve secured a starring role in a series of fantasy films, it’s probably best to start with something smaller.
If you’ve ever shaved your head, then you’ll perhaps appreciate that less hair means less work. This is especially so in the case of facial hair, which is differently composed to the hair on your head. If you’re looking to keep things neat and tidy, then you’ll need to keep atop it almost daily – as taking corrective action once it’s gotten out of control will be difficult and irritating. As the beard gets longer, one major problem will be drying. To achieve that maximally full look, you’ll want to blow-dry your beard. When it’s shorter, this will take mere moments; once it’s gotten past a certain length, however, this will become progressively more difficult. If you’re going to be wearing your beard in a corporate environment, then you might have to conform to certain guidelines. If you don’t want to get on the wrong side of your boss, it’s a good idea to talk to them before you get started – that way you’ll be able to avoid conflict later on. Provided that your beard has a defined shape, particularly around the cheek line, you might be able to get away with a great deal more than was possible just a decade ago.
In order to keep your beard in good shape, you’ll want to invest in several key items. The first and probably most important of these is a beard trimmer. This will allow you to precisely control the length of your facial furniture. Get one that’s adjustable, and ideally with a built-in vacuum cleaner that’ll suck up those stray strands as they’re removed from your face. A pair of purpose-built scissors will help take care of any stubborn stray hairs.
Next on your list should be a beard brush. These devices are built especially with beards in mind, and will help to achieve the required style. Moustaches can be flared outwards or blended into the beard.
For workplace beards, this will be made much easier with the help of a beard balm – these work as styling agents, keeping longer hairs in place after you’ve combed them.
You’ll also want a set of beard oils. These will help to prevent the beard from drying out, and provide it with the required shape and shine. Apply them from the root and they’ll naturally spread to cover the whole beard. You’ll also find specialist beard-shampoos, conditioners, and softening agents which should be applied once a week to keep the hairs properly hydrated. With all of these items in hand, and then right patience and perseverance, you should be able to grow a respectable beard. Even if you’re not blessed with naturally thick facial hair, you’ll at least be able to get beyond the stubble stage while still looking the part. Give it a go!
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The Gentlemen's Lounge is a the online resource for men in New Zealand. Here we will post professionally written, interesting and informative articles and blog posts on topics relating to men's grooming, jewellery collections, watches, leather accessories, gifts for men and fashion.